March 4

In this episode of the Football History Headlines, we discuss radio transmitters, innovators and the Browns as well as many more HOF Legendary stories.

March 4, 1956- Inventors working with the Cleveland Browns used the first radio transmitter in a QB helmet. John Campbell and George Sarles, a couple of inventors from Ohio approached Cleveland’s head Coach Paul Brown, who was always up for being on the cutting edge of innovation, with an idea. The two inventors had developed a radio transmission system that they felt could be installed into a football helmet safely to improve communication with the sideline. Brown loved the idea and asked the two men to develop the gadget in secrecy. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the radio was carefully mounted into the helmet and, using the seclusion of a wooded area behind Campbell's home, the pair proceeded to test the unit. Sarles retreated to the woods with the helmet. The signal became weak and communication broke off.

When Sarles did not return, Campbell set out to find his partner. Soon thereafter, he spotted Sarles talking with a police officer who had intercepted the signal. It was very Fortunate for Sarles and Campbell, that the officer was a Browns fan and agreed to keep the discovery under wraps. It is this test that we believe took place on March 4, 1956. Nonetheless, the pair changed the frequency on the unit.

The helmet was first used by Quarterback George Ratterman in a preseason exhibition against Detroit. The Lions sideline became suspicious during the game when they didn’t see Brown's shuttling lineman into the game to carry plays so they sent a scout who discovered the transmitter on a light pole behind the Cleveland bench. The Browns were able to use the radio helmet for three more games but then NFL Commissioner Bert Bell stepped in and banned the device. In 1985 John Campbell donated the innovative helmet to the Pro Football Hall of Fame where it is currently on display. The device was patented by Sarles on September 15, 1959, see that story here.

March 4, 1964 - Frewsburg, New York - The stud linebacker of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1983 through 1986, Shane Conlan was born. Shane according to the NFF’s bio on his was a 1986 Consensus First-Team All-American and a finalist for the Butkus Award. Conlan recorded eight tackles and two interceptions in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl over Miami (Fla.) to give Penn State the national title. In two different seasons Shane led the Penn State defense in tackles and he finished off his collegiate career ranked second on the Lions’ All-Time tackles list with 274, and his 183 solo tackles still rank third in school history. The National Football Foundation selected the name of Shane Conlan for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. After graduation Shane became the 8th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1987 NFL Draft. The linebacker played six seasons with the Bills and three for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams before retiring after the 1995 season. Conlan was the 1987 Rookie of the Year and a three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection played in three straight Super Bowls with the Bills.

March 4, 1971 - Rochester, New York - The standout running back of 1990 to 1992 from Ithaca College, Jeff Wittman arrived into this life. The FootballFoundation.org website states that Jeff earned First -Team All-America status 3 times with the Bombers. Jeff led his Ithaca Bombers team to the Division III national title in 1991 and was subsequently named as the MVP of the Stagg Bowl after  punching in three touchdowns in the contest. .The NFF voters chose Jeff Wittman to receive the honor of entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. He is only the second person from the school to have made it into the HOF, the other being head coach Jim Butterfield. 

The picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by photographer Warren K. Leffler circa 1969 and is titled " Pro Football Story: Cleveland Browns vs. Redskins."